Page 127 of How To Tempt A Bodyguard

"This would be one of the perks."

He opened one eye wider. "Which is?"

"Bedding Madam Tansley."

He drew her closer and kissed her. Soft. Sweet.

"I love you," he said again. "Now that I've said it, I can't seem to stop."

"I suppose I'll have to put up with it."

She settled against his chest again. His fingers traced lazy patterns on her back.

"We should sleep," he murmured.

"Probably."

He said something else. Something soft, something that sounded like her name, but she was already slipping under, warm and safe and exactly where she belonged.

Chapter thirty-two

Epilogue

Matthew

Three Years Later

The townhouse in Edinburgh was chaos.

Matthew stood in the doorway of the study, watching his wife command her empire from behind a desk buried in papers. Three women sat across from her, taking notes. A fourth stood by the window, reading aloud from a letter. Sylvia Raines occupied the settee, reviewing what appeared to be medical reports. And somewhere upstairs, a baby was crying.

His baby.

Their baby.

"The Sheffield house is at capacity," Florence was saying, not looking up from the document she was signing. "We'll need to open the second property by month's end. Dahlia, can Mr Lockwood's connections in Glasgow assist with the furnishings?"

"I'll speak to him today," the woman by the window replied.

"Good. And the petition for Parliament, where do we stand?"

"Viscount Rochford has secured twelve signatures. He believes he can double that before the session begins."

"Twelve isn't enough. We need twenty at minimum to be taken seriously." Florence finally looked up, pushing a strand of hair from her face. She looked tired. Beautiful. Utterly in her element. "What about my brother?"

"Lord Ashworth has agreed to speak in the Lords if the petition advances."

"If. I don't like if." She scribbled something on the paper before her. "Sylvia, the medical testimonies, are they ready?"

"Albert is finalising the last of them. We'll have thirty documented cases by week's end."

"Make it forty. The more evidence, the harder it is to dismiss."

The baby's crying grew louder. Matthew cleared his throat.

Every head in the room turned towards him.

"Ladies." He nodded. "I believe someone requires attention upstairs."